In the almost seven-minute audio tape, the Al-Qaeda commander called for Saudi rulers to be killed as "apostates". PHOTO: REUTERS

DUBAI: Al-Qaeda’s military leader in Yemen called for Saudi rulers to be killed as “apostates,” in an audio tape released on Friday, Search for International Terrorist Entities (SITE) Intelligence Group reported.

“To the scholars … of the family of Saud … I say to you, your King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and his crown prince, his interior minister and his son Mohammed, are considered by us to be apostates and must be killed,” said Qassim al-Rimi.

In the almost seven-minute tape, the Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula commander said Saudi authorities had arrested a group of women who had protested outside the interior ministry on February 5 to call for the release of relatives.

“In the north of the country and its south there are wounded women who are requesting the release of their sons and daughters from the prisons of oppression,” said Rimi, according to the English translation provided by SITE.

Saudi authorities “tricked them by putting them into buses in order to meet the criminal (Deputy Interior Minister Prince) Mohammed bin Nayef in order to release their captives, then they dragged them to prisons to remain there for more than 10 days,” he said.

Witnesses said in February that women, men and children asked to meet with ministry officials to call for the release of family members.

Those detained were arrested in 2003-2004 at the height of a security sweep against Al-Qaeda suspects during a wave of attacks on oil installations and foreign targets in the Gulf kingdom.

“Here we say to our sisters and mothers, we promise you that we will achieve victory for your chastity and purity, and that any hand that was extended at you should be cut off,” said Rimi.